Forty-eight hours in Roscommon. Strokestown, Carrick-on-Shannon, Ballyleague/Lanesborough, Elphin, Cloondara, Leitrim Village and Tarmonbarry

 Forty-eight hours in Roscommon

Strokestown, Carrick-on-Shannon, Ballyleague/Lanesborough, Elphin, Cloondara, Leitrim Village and Tarmonbarry

A pleasure boat under the bridge at Tarmonbarry, heading for the nearby lock.

For a couple of days this July (2022) Tarmonbarry, a place I had never heard of, became the centre of my world or at least the centre of a few days break in County Roscommon and its neighbouring counties such as Longford and Leitrim. 

The village, located close to the junction of the N5 and N4 and standing on the bank of the Shannon, the longest river in these islands, is an ideal base to take in the sights on land and water. And we were lucky to stay in the lovely Keenan’s Hotel, part of a family business that started here in 1865.

A few years back, we stayed at Gleeson’s (another excellent family place) in Roscommon Town itself. We made a few trips from there but missed out on the nearby Strokestown Park and Gardens. That was our number one this time. Here we had the National Famine Museum and also the park gardens (including a huge walled garden). Unluckily, the house itself, billed as “an era frozen in time”, had yet to open for the season even though it was mid-July. We’ll have to call again.

The National Famine Museum is a sobering experience. You will experience many emotions on the self-guided tour (aided by many visual aids plus an audio guide). Tears will never be far away as you hear the stories of those who lost their lives and homes during the Great Famine as the story of Strokestown Park’s tragic past is brought to life.

French Toast for lunch in Strokestown House

The contrast between the lives of the poor and their rich landlords is well illustrated in the story of the Strokestown famine experience. It is a Roscommon experience that was repeated throughout the land and Roscommon people, including the Mahon landlord family, illustrate those tragic times. The landlord lifestyle is well displayed in the house itself but will have to wait for another day to see it.

Very old, very impressive glasshouses

In contrast to landlords who could choose from a variety of food for their meals, cottiers and tenants relied almost exclusively on the potato. There are receipts on display here showing how well the landlords lived, including one for six dozen pints of Claret and four dozen pints of Champagne. No shortage of Madeira or Sherry either.

Famine but, for some, the good times roll on

I read that the landlords competed with each other in terms of dinner parties and from the estate here came exotic fruits such as pineapples. And while walking around the gardens we came across those very glasshouses where such fruit came from.

There is a info board that reads: 

This range of glasshouses in front of you, consists of a peach house and vinery. The vine roots are planted outside, and the branches trained along supports just under the glass. Chrysanthemums and other ornamental flowers were grown in the middle section. The remains of a pineapple pit are located to the left. A melon house - against the fruit wall - was added sometime around 1830. Melons were grown supported in hessian bags hanging from the ceiling. Next to this is the tomato house, dated from c.1910, where old varieties are still grown. An unusual inclusion here is the fig tree, said to have been brought from the Garden of Gethsemane in Jerusalem. Sweet exotic fruits, such as pineapples, peaches and melons, were a luxury and a mark of high social status. Investment in the glasshouses - money, technology and labour - was huge. Guests at the dining table were sure to be impressed.

Must admit though that we dined well here ourselves, though the fruit was more like strawberries, blackcurrants, red and white currants, and blueberries, even gooseberries. There is a lovely bright cafe here with an excellent short menu, well-priced too. We enjoyed a French Toast (with berries and Maple syrup) and also a Bowl of Fresh Berries, all for just over €13.00. Very Highly Recommended.

Little shoes, a symbol on the National Famine Way

There is a woodland walk here also and we enjoyed the stroll around. This small woodland has fine specimens of mature beech and oak, planted over 300 years ago by Thomas Mahon.This 1 km loop walk is home to a variety of creatures and flora and has activities to explore and interact with nature.

Earlier we had visited the Elphin Windmill, just a few minutes from Strokestown. It is the only windmill in Connacht but again we were out of luck as they were repairing the “roof” and it wasn’t working.

Later in the afternoon, we headed down to Ballyleague (still on Roscommon) and its neighbour across the bridge Lanesborough (in Longford). Each is on the water and there is no shortage of boats and activity here. Didn’t know they had a distillery here, aptly named Lough Ree, and I missed out on it, another reason to return to these parts. 

Then it was time to check in at Keenan’s and take a look at the activity in the nearby lock. And soon we became aware of more activity just outside the hotel window. The bridge, built in the 1840s, was adapted in the mid-1970s so that a section of it could open to accommodate larger watercraft. It was fascinating to see it lift, with trucks and buses and cars on the N5 waiting above as the pleasure craft sailed through below!

The following day, we strolled down to nearby Cloondara (Longford) to see the Royal Canal and the boats moored in the little village. The National Famine Way, which begins in Strokestown, passes through here on its way to Dublin in commemoration of the the ill-fated journey of 1,490 famine emigrants who walked from Strokestown Park to ships in Dublin in 1847, at the height of the Irish Famine.

Woodland Walk

Around midday we pulled into Carrick on Shannon (Count Leitrim) where we had a river cruise booked with Blue Moon. The Moon River is a pleasure cruiser, almost totally enclosed, and the tour upriver takes about an hour. It is probably more suited to groups out for a bit of fun and the operators provide live music and a bar. 

Thatch for repairs of the windmill below.

Leitrim village is just a few minutes further on and a call had been recommended. It is on the Shannon-Erne Waterway but all was very quiet until a cheeky cygnet turned up and got our attention; I think he thought my phone was food!

See more on the trip, including our base at Keenan’s here. 

Strokestown is just 12 minutes (14 kms) from Keenan’s. More at www.strokestownpark.ie 

Elphin is 23 minutes ( 25.4 kms) from Keenan’s.

Carrick-on-Shannon is 29 minutes (32 kms) from Keenan’s.

Other places within reach include Knock (65 mins), Mullingar (45 mins), Longford town (10 mins), Sligo (66 mins) and Athlone (48 mins). Any foodies heading up to Neven Maguire in Blacklion? Just about 70 minutes and you’ll be there!

Previous visits

Man of Arigna. Black Spit. White Spit.

Arigna Mines https://corkandabout.blogspot.com/2015/05/man-of-arigna-black-spit-white-spit.html 

House of Light. Castlecoote in Roscommon

 https://corkandabout.blogspot.com/2015/05/house-of-light-castlecoote-in-roscommon.html

Clonmacnoise. Important Site for Centuries. https://corkandabout.blogspot.com/2015/05/clonmacnoise-important-site-for.html

Also on this trip:

Local Whiskey and Beers all the way from Mayo to Roscommon 

Superb stay at the lovely Keenan's of Tarmonbarry Hotel

At Home in Gleeson’s Townhouse! Roscommon Lamb Festival.

At Home in Gleeson’s Townhouse!

Roscommon Lamb Festival.

When you stay in Gleeson's Townhouse in the middle of Roscommon, you get to meet the Gleesons. They, Mary and Eamonn, give you a big friendly welcome; you see them at breakfast, you see them in the bar, they'll help you out with news of what’s on and how to get there. And this kind of personal interaction, from their staff as well, was a delightful part of our mini-break in the town.

We had travelled up from Cork via Thurles, Roscrea, Birr and Athlone, a three hour trip if you don't make stops. But, of course, we did. First one was in Roscrea for lunch. In the Cosy Kitchen, at the back of SuperValu in the town, we had a smashing curry, very well presented and with a very friendly service. We paid fifty cent for an hour’s parking on the street but there is a large car park behind the supermarket.

The Join Our Boys Parade

On then towards Birr where we headed off the main road and over to Clonmacnoise. Had been meaning to visit here for  a long time and the account is here. Cut up then to Athlone and it was well into the afternoon by the time we reached Gleeson’s. Time enough though for a walkabout, that included a visit to the ruined Castle in the park. This is a big one and must have been very impressive in its heyday.

Preparations were going on in the park for the Lamb Festival. And much of Friday was dedicated to Join Our Boys, a locally founded charity to help families afflicted by Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. Indeed, the Maltese Supper that we so enjoyed that evening in Gleeson’s was a major fundraiser for the boys and it was great to be there. We were slightly out of place though as most of the locals were wearing orange as a sign of support!

Super curry in Roscrea's Cozy Kitchen

One of the encouraging signs on the trip was the availability of Irish Craft Beer and Gleeson’s, who also run a food and wine shop next door, had a good selection in bottle and at least one of the bars in the town has quite a few on draught. We enjoyed a few from Roscommon's Black Donkey, a Poacher’s Pale Ale from Carrig Brewing (in nearby Drumshanbo, brewed where they once made Bo Peep jam, itself recently revived!) and of course we couldn't resist the familiar Kinsale Pale Ale.

Saturday was a bad day so we headed underground, and very much enjoyed our tour of the Arigna Mining Experience. Read all about it here. In the afternoon, we renewed acquaintance with Kevin Finnerty, the man behind the Percy French Festival in July and who has spent the last 19 years or so restoring Castlecoote House where we enjoyed a guided tour LINK

Lamb shanks, Maltese style

The rain did not relent as the night arrived and we had to get a taxi to the Brazilian Barbeque held in a large marquee in the grounds of Hannon’s Hotel. We arrived just as the first of the food was being served up from the grills (chefs undercover!) and it was a tasty plate of local lamb with salads and breads and more besides. The rain continued but the punters kept coming and the band played on.

More lamb related festivities, including sheepdog trials, on Sunday, mainly in the park but we were on our way home by then. Before we left though we had a great chat with Mary. We'll have to go back for another one and this time we'll just have to taste her famous Irish Lamb Stew.

See also: The Arigna Mining Experience
Castlecoote House
Clonmacnoise
The Maltese Supper.

The Maltese Supper. More than a Meal.

The Maltese Supper

More than a Meal.

Gleeson’s & Roscommon Support Join Our Boys

Butter beans, with garlic & parsley.

Malta met Roscommon last week as part of the Roscommon Lamb Festival.  In Dingli village, Malta, amongst the gnarled olive trees and low-hanging carob branches, there is a family run farm set in an idyllic valley on the sun-kissed island, producing some of Mediterranean’s finest and most iconic food, including olive oil and wine. The family are the Mifsuds, their project is called Diar il-Bniet and their restaurant on the farm uses only the produce of the farm.

Gleeson's Town House, members of Good Food Ireland, are recommended in all the guides and rightly so. The Gleesons met the Mifsuds in Malta and invited them over. Gleeson’s are an integral part of the town and it is no surprise that they are fully behind the Join Our Boys , a charity founded here last year. The supper was a fundraiser and so instead of paying for a ticket, you made a donation. By Sunday morning, over a thousand euro had been raised.

Calm before the supper.

The ultimate aim of Join Our Boys is to ensure a treatment or cure is found for this catastrophic disease in time to save the lives of Archie, George, Isaac and all the children in this generation diagnosed with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. To be told that one of your children has a fatal disease, that currently has no treatment or cure, is devastating. To be told your three children (including your twins) have a fatal disease that currently has no treatment or cure is beyond comprehension; it is beyond words.

Virtually everyone in the town was dressed in orange for the fund-raising on Friday and we got to take part in a parade through Roscommon and out to the castle before we came back to Gleeson's for the supper.

Here we met some of the visiting Maltese, including Dorianne, Darren, Can and chef David. Dorianne and Can took us through the “starter” buffet and we enjoyed samples of their farm food.

Archie (at rear) with twins George and Isaac
pictured on the twins' 5th birthday cake in Gleeson's last Friday.

There was a delicious Baby Broad Bean Paste  which you took with a crispy biscuit (gallette). They had a peppered sheeps cheese and a plain one, both hard. Their own olives, marinated with Maltese garlic and parsley, were gorgeous and we also sampled the Goat Cheese Pie with Broad Beans. Perhaps my favourite was the Butter Beans with Garlic and Parsley. And there was no shortage of a superb Tomato Paste (known in Malta as Kunserva).

In between, there was entertainment and young Archie belted out a number on the drums and followed up with a some fast paced rap.

And no shortage of wine either with Willie Tindal on hand with a couple of excellent samples from the vast range of Tindal Wines, a Chenin Blanc/Viognier from South Africa and a Cabernet/Merlot from Australia.

Broadbean paste and olives

Mary dishing out the main course.

We didn't have to travel too far for the beer as local craft brewers Richard and Michaela from the Black Donkey brewery were there with their two beers - they hope to have another two before the end of the year. I sampled both. First up was the Sheep Stealer (5.5% ABV) a Belgian-style saison, ideal with food. The other was their amber ale, their own style: “not a hop bomb, this one’s a malt bomb”.

Main course was Braised Spicy Lamb Shanks, Maltese style of course, with salad, big green beans, tasty roast potatoes (with seeds). Overall, this was delicious and cooked to perfection. And their desserts didn't disappoint either, especially the Maltese almond biscuits. There was a whole table full of desserts, chocolate very much in evidence! We also had the chance to taste some of their lovely breads.

We're pictured here with Dorianne (left)

The Mifsuds contributed hugely over the weekend and their food was sampled again on the Sunday at the aptly named Global Village in the park, just one of many events (including of course, sheepdog trials) staged as part of the Lamb Festival, now a well established annual get-together.

With all the international cuisine available - we had a Brazilian Barbecue on the Saturday night - we never got to taste Mary Gleeson’s famous lamb stew. Next time Mary!

• Just a note to those of you down south, Roscommon is just three hours from Cork. Take motorway to Thurles exit, then go through Thurles, Roscrea, Birr and Athlone.
  
  See also: The Arigna Coalmining Experience
  Clonmacnoise. An Important Site For Centuries.